Moonlight and Marigolds
by insanity.of.the.artist
Summary: As the Ritual of Jasmine and Rosemary approaches, the Anderson's 'golden child' rebels against everything they stand for. She wants to break The Law and live normally, like her friends. Who, if anyone, will steal her heart and show her The Way in time?
1. Prologue

Original story. Please don't bash. I've taken some inspiration from Blood and Chocolate, I know, but it's really quite different.You'll see.

Please read and review. I love having criticism, it makes it easier for me to fix my mistakes.

Hope you love it. Also, much love to anyone who gives me help on it!

Keep in mind that this is my first published fanfiction, so please don't hurt me too badly when it's not quite what you want it to be.

* * *

_The shadow looked at the round moon. She smiled, revealing a row of gleaming white fangs. Her eyes glittered silver in the moonlight._

_  
There were no sounds in this hour of the night. High above the city, the only sounds to be heard were the rustle of leathery wings and the heartbeat of the halfling._

_Suddenly, sirens wailed, awakening instincts of fear._

_She sighed. "Time to go." she whispered, more to the moon than to herself._

_Regal wings unfurled, she lept off the precipice, grinning wildly with the rush of flight. The cool night air called her name as she flew, all the beauty and grace of the moon pumping through her blue scaled body._

_She was Dracon, body and soul._


	2. Chapter 1 : The End

Dylan looked at the clock. Two minutes and she'd be free. Summer would start, and with it, adulthood. Two more minutes, and everything would change.

She waited. And waited.

Just as she thought the agony would kill her, the bell tolled, signaling that all things old and known were now gone. The students erupted from their seats, yells of joy sounding across campus.

Ignoring the chaos around her, Dylan approached the front of the room. Mr. Anderson, the teacher, would be staying behind to pack up some old binders and papers in preparation for the long vacation ahead, but Dylan wanted to get in a word or two before she left for home. Who knew when she'd get to talk to him as a teacher again? But of course, it was the big burly man who spoke first.

"Yes Dylan?" he asked, so focused on packing that he hadn't even turned to look at her.

"I just wanted to let you know, you've been a really great teacher this year."

Mr. Anderson turned and looked at her. "Thank you. That means a lot, coming from you."

"Please, I'm not finished yet." the girl swallowed. "You were the best teacher I've had all year. And I'm really going to miss you as a teacher."

There was a pause before Mr. Anderson spoke, this time with a slight laugh in his voice. "Love you too Dill. Now get going. Mom's going to want to see those grades, you remember how she was when I finished high school."

"Thanks Pat. See you at home." Dylan smiled at her brother before turning and rushing out of the room.


	3. Chapter 2 : The Car Ride

Outside, her grey eyes blinked in the bright sunlight. The sky was blue, it was summer, and a slight breeze began to blow as she pranced across the grassy lawn of the school.

When Dylan reached the student lot, barely anyone was there. Of course, a few groups were still there, those still waiting around for friends who hadn't finished saying their goodbye's to the faculty, but few cars remained in the lot. Of course, there was Dylan's, old, beat up, and blue. she walked around the lot on the cool grass.

She sighed slightly, her slim, pale figure stepping lightly through the grass. Dylan ran her hand through her short hair, making the dark locks stand on end. What she needed now was to head home, get her suit, and get to the pool.

Suddenly there was a yell from behind her.

"Oh my God! DYLAN! Wait UP!"

As more than a few lingering students turned to stare, Dylan rolled her eyes and smiled. Leave it to her best friend, Bridget, to make a huge scene on the last day of school. Sometimes that girl was so annoying. Nevertheless, Dylan turned around, now walking backwards.

"Not waiting up Bridge. But if you hurry you can come with me to the house, I'm gonna grab my suit. Needless to say you have yours right?"

"Of course. You know me, I never leave home without it!" Bridget laughed, her smooth vocals echoing across the nearly deserted campus, her long, platinum blonde hair swinging wildly as she jogged to catch up. Really, there was no need to run, Dylan wouldn't leave her there.

"So, Bridge, what are you planning to do until you head off to college-OOF!"

Dylan sprawled across the grass, dropping her books. The boy she had tripped over laughed hysterically.

"Hey Dill. Nice of you to drop in like that." he laughed.

"Very funny Trey. Hysterical. You're SUCH a comedian." She glared at him, trying not to smile.

"Here, let me help you." Bridget reached down, picking up books and putting them into a pile as Dylan stood up, brushing dirt off herself.

Trey stood up. "What were you doing down there dearest?" Bridge asked, arms wrapped around his waist. He smiled as he leaned down to kiss her.

"Trying to trip dear old Dylan here." He looked at her, smiling.

"You know, it WAS funny to see you go down like that." Bridget laughed as she began walking towards Dylan's beat up

Dylan stuck her tongue out at the pair. "Assholes." she said, grinning.

"So, you coming to Dill's so she can get her swim suit? We got one extra seat."

"What do you mean, one? Who ELSE are you planning on inviting?" Dylan asked, one eyebrow raised as she began unlocking her car.

Turning to look at her dark haired friend, Bridget looked no more concerned than a small child who easily got what ever she wanted. "Well, I figured we'd pick up Elsie and Zack along the way. That's ok with you, right?"

"Yeah, it's fine."

"Good!" Bridget yelped in excitement, blue eyes widening.

"BUT," Dylan began, holding up a manilla envelope. "You know what this is? My grades. And mom's gonna want to see them. And you know her"

Trey groaned. "WHY Dylan! Why can't you just say you lost it, or it's coming in the mail, or you just didn't get it yet!"

Dylan smiled, and Bridget put her hands on her best friend's shoulders. "It's ok Dill. Ignore the stupid one. We can wait."

Trey groaned again and looked at the sky through the back window of the car. His small cries of "Why god, WHY?" were drowned out by the girl's voices.

As the car started and the A-C kicked in, Bridget looked at her friend in the rear veiw mirror. "Dylan, you remember how to get to E-Z's house, right?"

"Yes I remember. Get them first?"

"Yeah. Definately. They need to wait with us." Bridget grinned.

"Hey Dill, can you turn up the tunes? I can't hear it." Trey asked.

"Yeah sure."

As the small blue car raced out of the school lot and down the street, windows open and air conditioner going, music from System Of A Down went thumping through the air.


	4. Chapter 3 : The Assembly

_He looked at his mistress as she smiled down on him._

_"My lady, what shall we do? The girl does not know of her fate, does not know what will happen, how her life will change. She is aware of a change, but not how the change will occur." he hissed. "She doesn't know about The Ritual!"_

_"And it is not her place to know!" the woman screeched._

_"But Kiara, she will not be ready!" a shaky female stood and spoke. "She must-"_

_"Silence! Do not use my human name here, understand, oh insolent one?" Kiara sneered at her subjects. "The girl WILL be ready. It is summer. She WILL fall for the boy. I will introduce The Chosen soon. The Ritual WILL take place. Do not be fooled."_

_The assembly nodded. They knew from experience that they should trust their leader. She would protect them, ensure the continuance of their race. She had done so for years, how could she possibly fail now?_

_A lone figure in the back raised his voice. "You may be right, but who can you trust with this girl? She's strong willed, not ready to give in as easily as others would. She may rebel, and we need a strong male to tame her." He pointed to a buff male in the first row. "Not like him. Someone strong of heart, not strong of body. She WILL rebel against the strength of his arms. She's not impressed by him, and you all know it. She will not change her mind in one short summer."_

_The assembly was silent. One by one they turned their heads to veiw the speaker, realizing that they had never seen him before. He was a stranger to them._

_They began whispering. A stranger? In their midst? And telling them how to treat their daughter? They hissed as one, a menacing, greedy sound._

_"Preposterous!" came a call from the front, calling the attention away from the darkened stranger. Every head turned as they watched their daughter's brother. He growled menacingly. "She will become one with the assembly. It is meant to be."_

_The stranger shrugged, signaling the end of the minor battle with three last words. "As you say." he spoke, looking defiant._

_The assembly returned their gaze to their leader. She had been watching with an amused look in her eye. "She will. No matter what." She sighed heavily and looked at the moon. "Now, we must be going, the moon grows dark. Off with you, all!"_

_As everyone took off into the night, the dark stranger shook his head, muttering._

_"She will not follow them. It is not in the moon rays. No matter what they all say. It is not meant to be. SHE is not meant to be. We," he shrugged, sighing. "We are not meant to be here."_

_As he spread his wings, he closed his eyes for a time. "But I MUST do my best to change that."_


End file.
